David Haye has promised more electrifying nights as he steps up his campaign to unify the heavyweight division by facing the Klitschko brothers. Haye retained his WBA world title by stopping the challenger John Ruiz in the ninth round of their fight at the MEN Arena in Manchester.

A lucrative fight with either Vitali, the WBC champion, or Wladimir Klitschko, who holds the IBF and WBO belts, is now firmly in the Briton's sights.

"My plan now is to unify the division. I'm going after whoever has the belts," Haye said. "My performance against Ruiz was a good one – there were plenty of knockdowns, excitement and drama. That's something the heavyweight division hasn't had in a while, so it's my duty to make the best possible fight and give fans entertainment like this.

"If I hit the Klitschkos with the same shots I was hitting John Ruiz, both of them would go over. I'd like to fight again this year, in October or November. I'd take on the Klitschkos now, no doubt about it. I wouldn't have any qualms about fighting anyone. Look at my career to date – I'll fight anybody and go anywhere."

Understandably there appears little appetite in the Haye camp to satisfy a rematch clause with Nikolai Valuev, whom the 29-year-old from London dispatched last November to seize the WBA belt. "Given the option my next fight won't be against Valuev. I want to fight who the fans who want me to fight," Haye said.

Haye's trainer and manager, Adam Booth, stated logic will prevail, suggesting Valuev will have to step aside, while Haye's partnership with Golden Boy Promotions could take him to America where he has struggled to make an impact.

His reputation across the Atlantic will rise after last night even though the fight was not screened in America, and the Klitschkos will certainly have been interested spectators. While Haye dominated the staggeringly courageous but limited Ruiz, the Ukrainian brothers will have noted the ease with which he was hit.

Had Ruiz not had the stuffing knocked out of him by a brutal assault in the opening round, he might have made more of the openings. Haye put his vulnerability down to a cut eye sustained during training that prevented him from sparring for the last four and a half weeks.

"My performance wasn't that great. It was entertaining, good for the crowd," he said. "But technically it wasn't as good as I'd have liked because I was taking way too many shots. I was getting some good work done in sparring with BJ Flores but unfortunately he hit me with a good left hand and cut my eye and I wasn't able to spar after that.

"But I had the belief that even without sparring I was way better than John Ruiz. My padwork was enough. The more of these tough fights I have the better I'll become. I'm nowhere near the complete article yet but I'm on the right road."

Despite being sent to the canvas four times, Ruiz refused to back down and was ultimately saved from further punishment at the hands of Haye by his trainer, Miguel Diaz.

"I told everyone it would go to the later rounds and it did, he didn't get to where he is by being blasted out," Haye said. "He takes big shots. Even when he's been wobbled he's still there, throwing punches back. It was a tough, gruelling fight but I felt in control the whole way through. His corner showed compassion and did the right thing."

Ruiz, his face badly swollen, will now consider his future after 18 years as a professional boxer. "Maybe I've been in this game too long and there comes a point when you have to move on with your life," he said.